Apron-slat fastening



(No Model.)

W. P. DIGKISON. APBJON SLAT FASTENING.

No. 331,948. Patented Dec, 8, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Urricn.

WILLIAM F. DIGKIS ON, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

APRON-SLAT FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,948, dated December 8, 1885.

Application filed March 10, 1885. Serial No. 158,387. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. DICKISON, of Peoria, in the county of Peoria, in the State of Illinois, have invented an Improved Apron- Slat Fastening; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the an nexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which like letters of reference refer to like parts, and in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the invention; Fig. 2, a side view of the same applied to a slat; Fig. 3, a cross-section at a: w in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a perspective view of my favorite form for the fastener; Fig. 5, a modification of the device.

My invention is in the line of aprons or conveyers consisting of sheets or straps of fabric, rubber, or other pliable material, adapted to be moved continuously in a desired direction, and having slats of wood or other material afiixed to said sheets or straps transversely to their direction of motion, for the purpose of transporting whatever is dropped thereon. As ordinarily constructed such aprons are formed of canvas tacked to the wooden strips or slats. The objections which I have found to be unavoidably connected with this tacking together of the canvas and slats are that the tacks soon come out, especially at the ends of the slats, the latter swing loose, catch upon some portion of the attendant machinery, and are either broken or ripped off entirely; the edges of the canvas at the points of attachments to the slats become frayed, then torn, and soon rip entirely across the width of the fabric; and, in addition, during this destructive process the straw, or whatever similar substances are carried, catch and collect between the ends of the slats and the partiallyseparated canvas. To remedy such defects I have contrived a fastening device for securing inseparably together the ends of the slats and the edges of the canvas, the intermediate portions of the slats being tacked to the canvas, as in the old way.

This fastening device consists, essentially, of a simple metallic strap bent into an approximately U shape and adapted to be secured to a contiguous slat end and canvas edge, with one portion of said strap below the canvas and the other above the slat.

In the drawings, S represents an end of a slat; O, the canvas, and F the terminal fastening device. In the form of fastener shown in Fig. 1 the arm F of the strap is provided at each edge, near the bend F", with an ear, E. The object of this ear E is to enable me to retain the fastener in place with a single rivet passed through the same and the slat at the ends of the arms F F. These cars, by clasping the uncovered lateral faces of the slat end, not only keep the fastener from swinging off to one side,but, in addition, serve to prevent the splitting of the slat end, the tendency to which splitting is caused by the driving therein of the canvas-securing tacks. To holdstill more firmly the fastener in place, I often form a spur, E, at the end of each ear E, which spurs, being driven home into the wood, accomplish the desired result.

In Fig. 5 is shown a form of my fastener modified from that just described to the extent of having the ears project from the bend F instead of from the arm F.

In manufacturing these fastening devices I prefer to stamp them from sheet metal, the length of the ears being such as to cause as little waste as possible in the material.

In placing these fasteners the canvas and slats are first tacked together, and then the arms F F are pushed longitudinally onto the slats, with the arm F under the cloth, the other arm above the slat, and the ears clasping the lateral faces thereof. hen the bend F comes against the end of the slat, arivet, R, is inserted through suitable holes, H, at the ends of the arms and through the intermediate wood and riveted fast.

What I claim as my invention is as follows, to Wit:

1. In an apronslat fastening, the combination of the apron, the apron-slat, and the strap having one end thereof secured to the slat below the apron, the medial portion thereof bent up against the end of the slat and its other end bent down upon the upper face of the slat, and provided with the ears projecting there from for securing it from 1ateral deflection, provided with the spurs E, and the rivet R, substantially as and for the purpose specified. for holding the ends of said strap in place, as

2. In combination, the apron, the apronand for the purpose specified. slat, and the U-shaped strap having the ears In testimony that I claim the foregoing in- 5 for keeping the bent portion thereof from latvention I have hereunto set my hand this 5th 15 eral deflection and provided with the rivet day of February, 1885.

for securing its ends to the said apron-slat, WILLIAM F. DICKISON. substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Witnesses:

3. In combination with the apron and apron- A. KEITHLEY,

1o slat, the U'shaped strap F, having the ears E, A. B. UPHAM. 

